Device for removing residue from retorts.



N. L. HEINZ.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING RESIDUE FROM RETORTS.

APPLICATION FILEDIAR-M I914.

3 1,160,077. Patented Npv. 9, 1915.

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NICHOLAS L. HEINZ, OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING RESIDUE- FROM RETORTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed March 4, 1914. Serial No. 822,328.

7 '0 all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, NICHOLAS L. HEINZ,

' a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at La Salle, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Device for Removing Residue from Retorts,

, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for removing the residue from retorts of spelter furnaces, and the objects of my improvements are first, to reduce the dust loss; second, to transport the dust to a place of deposit; third, to lessen and expedite the work; fourth, to provide a simple, cheap and durable construction and other features to become apparent from the description to follow.

Heretofore there has been a large dust loss by reason of the method employed for removing the residue from zinc furnace retorts; the dust which was scraped out of the retorts had to be gathered together and taken away to a place of deposit by manual labor, and the scraping process was hard and trying work for those employed to do it, all of which are objectionable features and are eliminated by the use of my invention which comprises a vacuum or suction pipe extending along near the open ends of the retorts with a plurality of spaced fittings by means of which a flexible hose can be connected thereto at any desired position. The flexible hose terminates in a suitable pipe which is inserted into the retorts. The dust from within the retorts is drawn into the pipe through the flexible hose and deposited in a suitable retainer.

To describe my invention so that others versed in the art to which it pertains can make and use the same I have illustrated it on the accompanying sheet of drawing, forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spelter furnace foreshortened, with my improved device attached thereto, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one of the retorts showing the suction nozzle or pipe in position therein for removing the residue.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout.

The spelter furnace 3 is shown provided with the usual plurality of retorts arranged in vertical rows. A suitable pipe 5 is provided extending substantially the ,entire length of the furnace 3, has its one end 6 closed and is supported in any suitable manner as by the hooks 7 fastened in the wall of the furnace. The remaining end of plpe 5 extends away from the furnace and downward into the closed separating tank 8 which has a hopper-shaped bottom directing the material to the discharge opening 9,

which is controlled by a valve 10. A suction outlet pipe 11 is connected to the top of the separating tank 8 and leads to the suction side of a fan 12 so that a constant suctlon is produced in the tank 8 and also in the pipe 5. V

The pipe 5 is provided with a suitable number of connection fittings 13 so spaced apart that a comparatively short flexible hose 14 will sufiice to reach any of the retorts 4. Each fitting 13 is preferably provided with a valve so that all the hose connections except the one to which the hose 14 is connected can be shut off. One end of the hose 14 is connected to one of the fittings 13 and the remaining end of the hose is provided with the pipe 15 having a handle 16 made of some non-heat conducting material as shown in Fig. 2. The open end 17 of the pipe 1:") can take any desired form which may be best suited for the purpose for which it is intended.

In operation the handle 16 is manipulated to move the open end 17 of the pipe 15 up and down the inclined interior of the retort; the dust and light particles loosed from the retort are sucked into the open end 17 of the pipe 15, flexible hose 14 and pipe 5 and is deposited in the separating tank 8. I prefer to use a small centrifugal dust collector 18 or the like at the air discharge end of the tank to catch any fine dust which may be drawn out of the tank 8 through pipe 11.

Since the retorts are hot while the process of removing the residue is in operation, the flexible hose 14 is preferably made of metal. To prevent the pipe 5 from becoming too hot I prefer to admit a small quantity of water to the same, and to do this I have shown a water supply pipe 19 connected by a suitable number of branch pipes 20 to the pipe 5. Each branch pipe 20 is preferably provided with a shut off valve to enable regulating the flow of water.

Numerous changes and modifications will suggest themselves to those versed in the art, and I desire to have it understood that such changes and modifications can be made without in the least departing from the sctige of my invention.

aving thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to sccure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In a device of the class described a flexible pipe provided with a nozzle coin-- prising an open-ended pipe, means for admitting a quantity of water to said pipe and means for causing a constant suction 1n said pipe, n

2. In a de ice of the class described, a

pipe provided with a nozzle comprising an open-ended pipe provided with a scrapingended pipe, means for admitting a quantity of water to saidfirst named pipe, means for causing a constant suction in .said first named pipe and in said flexible hose and means comprising a closed separating tank for athering the dust drawn through said fiexi le hose nozzle.

4. In adevice of the class described, a pipe terminating in an open end to form a nozzle provided with-an extending scraping edge, means for admitting a quantity of water into said pipe and means for causing a constant suction in said pipe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 28th day of February, 1914, at Burgettstown, Pennsyl- Vania.

NICHOLAS L..HEINZ. Witnesses: a

J. W. GEIB, Y H. B. 

